Bisi-bele bāth

This dish nourishes the body and suits all constitutions. Recommended in the colder months, in the warmer months it may be heavy. People with vāta disorders or digestion problems should not consume too often.

Preparation: 1 hour

Serves: 6

All spoon measurements are heaped unless otherwise stated.

 

Ingredients 
1 cup/200g toor dāl
8 cups/2-litres water
1 medium/115g carrot
1 medium/150g potato
1 cup/105g cabbage/green beans
15 curry leaves
1 cup/200g white basmati rice

2 heaped Tbsp jaggery
1 Tbsp tamarind paste
2 tsp fine rock salt
1 Tbsp ghee
¼ cup/25g frozen peas
½ cup coriander leaves, chopped

Sambar-coconut paste 
2 Tbsp sambar powder (moderately spiced)
½ cup/40g dried shredded coconut
2 cups/500ml water – divided

Voggarane 
1 Tbsp ghee
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida powder (depending on the strength of your asafoetida)
¼ tsp turmeric powder

Preparation 

1.  Cut vegetables into small uniform pieces. Measure out remaining ingredients – set aside.

2.  Wash dāl until water runs clear, drain, add water, vegetables, and bring to boil, reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the dāl starts to soften.

3.  Add rice to dāl and curry leaves – simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Sambar-coconut paste

4.  In an upright blender, add coconut, sambar powder and pour in 1½ cups water. 

5.  Grind for 1 minute.

6. Add to dāl, pour remaining ½ cup water to swish blender clean. Simmer for 5 minutes, adding more water if needed.

7.  Turn off heat, add jaggery, tamarind, salt, ghee and green peas. Stir, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Voggarane

8.  In a small pan, over medium-high heat, heat ghee, add mustard seeds; when seeds turn grey and pop, reduce heat, add asafoetida and turmeric, swish or stir pan to fry spices evenly – add to dāl.

9.  Taste, adding more salt, sambar powder, jaggery or tamarind.

 

Serve

Once every two weeks, goes well with raita or plain yogurt. Suitable during the day and in cooler months.